


Norrsken

by epiclifeinruins



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: A little Sami language and religion, Gen, Modern AU, Northern Sweden Au, The Northern Lights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-08-14 04:07:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7997983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epiclifeinruins/pseuds/epiclifeinruins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Where Hux and Ren share their musings over the northern lights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Norrsken

**Author's Note:**

> This ridiculous little fic was inspired by the breathtakingly beautiful art work by aconsultingmind @ tumblr (http://aconsultingmind.tumblr.com/post/147658194645/um-yeah). It is so beyond lovely that it makes me wanna dance around like a maniac and clap my little hands with joy. Because pretty. So. Damn. Pretty. 
> 
> This fic is also a gift. A gift for a very, very special person and that person just happens to be my amazing, beautiful and totally kick ass girlfriend house-of-villainy @ tumblr. You are a constant source of love, happiness and support and I am so grateful to have you in my life. You’re the cracked Kyber crystal in my lightsaber and the Sun in my Starkiller base. Happy anniversary, baby! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

“It’s too cold to go outside, Ren” Hux griped when two big, strong hands tried to pull him out from underneath the warm blankets that were shielding him from the chilled air filling the room.

“C’mon, Hux!” he could hear Ren begging. “I’ve never seen anything like this before! Not in real life at least. It won’t take long; just give me 10 minutes. Please?”

Hux looked into Ren’s pleading hazel eyes, moaned loudly and sat up. He ran his fingers through his dishevelled red hair. “Alright, alright, you get 10 minutes.” he sighed as he reached for the neatly folded jeans lying on a chair beside the bed. “But not a second longer!” he barked, raising a finger as if he was correcting a small child.

Ren must have literally thrown his clothes on as soon as the fluttering yellowish-green light had woken him up because he was already fully dressed. Cackling in triumph he half ran, half skipped out of the bedroom and into the hallway before Hux had even got to pulling his woollen jumper over his head. Hux let out yet another sigh and left the bedroom to join Ren in the hallway. The tall, dark haired man was bouncing up and down with excitement and Hux couldn’t stop himself from smiling faintly at the childlike behaviour of his boyfriend. It was all rather endearing actually. Not that he would ever admit to that, of course.

With great ease Hux put on his boots and parka and it didn’t take long for him to realize that Ren was not nearly as efficient. “Don’t hurt yourself.” he snickered when Ren whimpered impatiently as he was struggling with his boots. “It’s not going anywhere, you know.”

Ren stomped his foot in frustration. “I’ve been waiting my whole life to see this, Hux!” he blurted out, gesturing vaguely towards the door of the cabin. “This might be an everyday thing to you since you were born and raised up here, but to me it’s something spectacular and amazing and I need to see it with my own two eyes. _Now_.”

Without any kind of warning Ren then grabbed Hux and almost threw him over his shoulder before carrying him through the door. He then started making his way through the forest towards a small clearing not far from the cabin.

“What the fuck, Ren!” Hux yelped as Ren wrapped his arms tighter around his waist. “Put me down right now! I’m not a damn handbag!”

“Oh, I'm not too sure about that.” Ren chuckled as he put Hux down. “You’re about the right size.”

“Fuck you, Ren.”

They soon reached the clearing. The snow was almost knee deep and it muffled every sound making the forest seem completely empty of any sign of life. The only sound that could be heard was the creaking of their footsteps as they disturbed the untouched surface of the snow. High above them a pale green light caressed the night sky like slowly flowing rivers of colour.

“It’s so beautiful.” Ren said breathlessly as he tilted his head as far back as he could to gaze up at the sky. “I’ve never really understood what’s causing it though. Do you know?” he asked Hux, his voice filled with wonder.

Hux folded his arms behind his back. “The northern lights, or _aurora borealis_ …” he said pragmatically, “…are the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere and charged particles from the atmosphere of the Sun.” He too raised his head to look at the colours chasing across the sky.

Ren frowned and exhaled deeply, his breath flowing from his mouth like icy smoke. “I can’t believe that something this magnificent is caused by…gas.” His frown deepened as he uttered the word. “I mean, look at it! It’s like a painting but it feels as though it’s alive or something! Like it’s going somewhere and wants to take us with it. It’s as if it wants to tell us a secret but we’ve forgotten how to listen.”

Hux chortled. “You’ve always been a sentimental fool. It’s physics, Ren, not poetry.”

“Don’t be a dick, Hux.” Ren muttered. “You can’t seriously tell me that you don’t think that this is beautiful!” He made a sweeping gesture up towards the sky as he gave Hux an annoyed look.

“Fine.” Hux rolled his eyes. “I admit that it _does_ have an attractive side to it. But there’s really no need to get sentimental about it.”

“Jeez, Hux.” Ren huffed. “You have the emotional range of a toaster.”

“Thank you, Ren.” Hux said graciously. “I do my best.”

With a loud groan Ren folded his arms across his chest and stubbornly stared up at the lights. Hux couldn’t help but feeling a bit guilty as he studied the sombre expression on Ren’s face. He knew how much this experience meant to Ren and he had quickly lost count of all the times that Ren had gone on and on about how amazing it was going to be when he finally got to see the northern lights. Apparently it was one of Ren’s most treasured childhood dreams and his excitement had at least tripled as soon as they had arrived at Hux’s parents old cabin. Hux had spent his whole life in the Arctic and he had seen hundreds, maybe thousands, of northern lights. They had never really meant anything to him except for being a welcome source of natural light during the long, dark winter months. But for Ren they did mean something. What that meaning was Hux couldn’t tell, but he could tell that his remarks about the lights had upset Ren and now he regretted the things he had said. Luckily, Hux knew exactly how to get back into Ren’s good graces and he cleared his throat.

“The Sami call them _Guovssahas_.” he said casually, smiling as he noticed Ren immediately giving him a curious glance. “They believe that the lights are the spirits of their ancestors and therefore they must be respected.”

“I like that.” Ren murmured.

“I figured you would.” Hux said softly. “Sometimes you can even hear them too, you know.”

“What? The _lights_?”

“Yes. Well, of course it hasn’t been scientifically proven but there are a lot of stories going around about sounds connected to the lights. They’re described as sounding a little bit like the crackling of an open fire or like the howling of the wind.”

Ren had now turned his head to look at Hux. “Have you ever heard it?”

“No, I haven’t.” Hux answered, shuffling his feet in the snow. “My mother swore that she heard them once, though. But she always was a bit more…um…spiritual in nature.”

“Did she…tell you anything more?” The hesitation in Ren’s voice was obvious and Hux knew the reason why.

The subject of Hux’s mother was a sensitive one since she had passed away early, leaving Hux and his younger sister to be raised by their strict father. Hux knew full well that Ren had paused because he didn’t want to hurt him by opening up old wounds. A rush of unfamiliar tenderness suddenly filled his chest and Hux found himself both cursing it and blessing it at the same time.

“Only the usual myths and legends.” he answered, instantly noticing Ren relaxing as soon as he spoke. “Once she told me that the northern lights have their own voice. Their own language one might say. In ancient times human beings could understand it, but throughout the passing of the ages we seem to have forgotten how to, as someone phrased it, listen.”

He couldn’t stop himself from smiling as Ren moved closer to him and put one arm around his shoulders. Hux leaned his head against Ren’s shoulder and felt the cold fabric of his red parka rub against his cheek. They stood like that in silence, peacefully watching the lights dancing across the sky.

After a while Ren spoke. “I could spend the rest of my life looking at this.” he said. “I wish I didn’t have to leave.”

“Then don’t.” Hux said quietly.

Ren wasn’t sure that he had heard Hux correctly. “What?”

“Leave.” Hux said. “There’s no reason why you couldn’t finish your thesis here.”

“But where? I mean, which university? All the way up here…?” Ren stammered.

“This might come as a complete shock to you but we actually do have universities here too.” Hux smirked. “There’s one in Luleå, for example. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Excellent educational institution. Many a brilliant scholar have studied there. Yours truly for example.”

Ren laughed as Hux straightened his back and pushed his chest out with badly concealed pride. “There’s no harm in thinking about it, I guess.” he shrugged, trying his best not to seem too eager. “If you really want me to stay.” he continued in a lower voice.

Ren’s heart was pounding in his chest as he waited for Hux's reply. “I do.” he finally said, looking up into the sky, suddenly very interested in the natural phenomenon above them.

Ren pulled him closer and breathed in the scent of his hair mixed with the smell of snow and pine trees. “Then I’ll stay.” he whispered and smiled as he felt Hux slowly wrap his arms around his waist.

Above them the lights continued their journey across the starry sky. Ren was sure that he could hear them whisper to each other but he couldn’t understand them.

Yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Just in case you guys were wondering:  
> "Norrsken" is the Swedish word for the northern lights.  
> I am Swedish (from the south but I have always had a soft spot for the northerners <3) but not Sami and I hope that I have done my research well concerning the Sami language and religion. If I did happen to get something wrong; please do tell me and I will of course correct it! 
> 
> And I can't say this often enough: thank you all so so so much for reading, commenting and leaving kudos on my fics!  
> Ya'll fabulous! <3 <3 <3


End file.
